1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retainer, more particularly to a magnetic retainer for retaining articles thereon by magnetic attraction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional magnetic retainer, as shown in FIG. 1, generally includes a holding member 1 and an elongated magnetic bar 2. The holding member 1 includes a base plate 101 which is adapted to be mounted on a wall, and a magnet-holding part 102 disposed on and cooperating with the base plate 101 to define a magnet-retention groove 103 therebetween. The magnetic bar 2 is mounted in the magnet-retention groove 103.
The conventional magnetic retainer is suitable specially for retaining long tools, such as spanner, screw drivers, files, etc., thereon, but retention of a variety of articles, like screws, bolts, nuts, etc., is not appropriate due to the elongated configuration of the holding member 1.
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a magnetic retainer which is capable of retaining a plurality of articles regardless of their sizes and lengths so as to overcome the aforesaid disadvantage of the prior art.
According to the present invention, the magnetic retainer includes: a molded one-piece plastic mounting member including a bowl-shaped part and an elongated part integrally formed with the bowl-shaped part, the bowl-shaped part including a base that has top and bottom faces, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top face of the base to define a receiving space therebetween, and having a top end face distal from the base, the base being formed with a plurality retaining holes, each of which is defined by a hole-confining wall, the elongated part projecting outwardly and laterally from the peripheral wall, and having a top face and formed with an elongated groove which is defined by a groove-confining wall, the groove-confining wall having two opposite ends and being formed with two opposite shoulders that project respectively from the opposite ends of the groove-confining wall into the groove; a plurality of magnets, each of which is fixed in a respective one of the retaining holes in the base; a metal sheet disposed within the receiving space and attached to the top face of the base through magnetic attraction of the magnets; a covering disc attached securely to the bottom face of the base to cover the retaining holes so as to prevent removal of the magnets from the retaining holes; a magnet-holding frame fitted in the elongated groove, seated on the shoulders, defining a holding groove, and having two opposite ends; and an elongated magnetic unit mounted securely in the holding groove in the magnet-holding frame.